When setting design parameters for a new machine, the width of the machine (in multiples of widths of downstream converting and printing equipment) versus the speed of the machine is such a complex question that it has never been solved using engineering and mathematical principles.
Open water usage is a legacy from the past that many mills still embrace to a certain extent. Progress has been made, but without a thorough understanding of the dynamics involved, including not only dirt but also conductivity and other issues, mills become discouraged and revert to old ways.
Despite fifty years of focus (first energy crisis, October 1973), mills continue to need to drive energy costs lower. This encompasses the producers (boilers, turbines and other energy generation devices and sources) and consumers (water, air and fiber). In the circularity experienced in the mill, much energy is spilled (wasted).
